For those asking about seating, I sat in block D, the venue is small and perfectly made, I think you’d get a good view no matter where you sat. What an experience! I was just open mouthed at first as I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, it is an amazing show, I can guarantee you’ve never seen anything like it before 😁
I so appreciate your heartfelt, meticulously crafted videos about ABBA. And since I cannot go there myself from the US I feel like you are helping me experience it as best as possible for me now. I have been a fan of ABBA since I was 9 in 1980. Their 79 concert tv special is what made me a fan. They are my most treasured thing in my life besides my family/friends/and my faith. I am soooo grateful they got back together for this project and album. Thank you so much for all you do!
Hey Hey Bobby, I have seen much in my life time,space exploration, wars, and now the birth of an industry that can give us entertainment like no other. All these years I had thought ABBA ahead of its time , a feeling, now this legacy to their music. It’s awe inspiring and while I will never see this in person, I have lived to see what the future holds for the generations to come. They will know ABBA as we did. You had in your last blog, a look, what we call here, a deer caught in the headlights. You were mesmerized. Happy you had this great experience. Everyone looks phenomenal, the ladies, always beautiful even now. I had tears 🇺🇸
Hej Hej Bobby's Brother! The journey of excitement, joy and pure emotion we ABBA fans have all been on since Benny and Björn announced there was going to be a new ABBA album after 40 years and a new state of the art Concert too would not have been complete without your wonderful videos on this Voyage.....Thank you BB. I was also lucky enough to be at the Premiere Opening Night of the Voyage Concert on May 26th. I felt so honoured and privileged to be there in the presence of ABBA themselves and so many fellow fans from all around the world at this very special event. The atmosphere was magical that night, full of happiness, warmth, dignity and love for ABBA and their music. I didn't know what to expect or what I would see....but as the lights dimmed and the show began my breath was taken away by the sheer sight of the Abbatars themselves coming into view on the stage and beginning to perform. They were there on stage infront of me, the ABBA I knew and have loved since I first bought their Arrival album back in 1976. So real...living, breathing, singing, moving digital creations, yet this modern twist works so well and I completely forgot these four people were not real but mere images. The show itself left me wide eyed, amazed and full of joy. For its entirety I found myself completely immersed visually with its colours, sound, lighting, visuals, costumes and the Abbatars themselves. I sang, laughed and cried throughout this uplifting kaleidoscope of pure ABBA magic. As the show came to a close Agnetha, Björn, Benny & Frida themselves emerged from the right and walked on stage. The affection and love they received from the audience by way of cheering and applause nearly raised the roof of the Arena itself. I could see both Agnetha and Frida were deeply moved by how much they are all loved still to this day. Seeing ABBA all together again on stage after 40 years filled me with absolute joy and brought tears to my eyes. A dream come true. What a joy, what a life, what a chance! I only wish I could have met you at the Concert BB, to share in the evenings magic and excitement and to say Thank You in person for all your beautifully crafted and insightful videos of this very special ABBA event that has been 50 years in the making.
Wow. I just wondering to hear what are you guys thinking, if you belive similar aoutmosfare and such a big excitement, crowd cheering and dancing in front of abbatars will be there also on the next coming months shows, when Abba reall band members won't be there in the arena, and the crowd won't include mainly mega fans of Abba, and also most of them will have very high expectation of what they are going to see since not like you, the secret and mysterious feeling you had when you saw it for the first time won't be there any more.. i do hope the power you felt will still be there... this will be the reall big test for this amazing and initiative trial. Lets cross our fingers.. they really deserved it.
@@ofirt5903 Hi there. I think regardless of when you go to see the show I guarantee you will be totally amazed. Yes, I am sure the same magic and excitement will be there with audiences cheering, dancing and singing at future ABBA Voyage Concerts coming up over the next few months. This is a completely new and unique experience in itself which just has to be seen to be believed. The show is so captivating and immersive with how visually clever it has been created. You are transported away to another worldly experience filled with ABBA's music and the group themselves in an altogether new dimension. This is what will continue to generate that special excitement at each show. I think regardless of whether you are a dedicated life long fan of ABBA, a recent fan, just someone who likes their music or are going to see the show out of curiosity it will leave you completely amazed by what you have witnessed and still generate excitement. The fact that ABBA themselves were actually there in person at the Premiere Show on May 26th was a truly fantastic, unique and memorable moment adding the finishing touch to the total excitement of the evening itself. Just amazing! But the actual 'Voyage Concert' itself was the defining centre piece and stood out as the evenings resounding highlight. I know whenever you go to see
I was at the first official night and I can tell you it was amazing , I remember just before the show started we were asked to put our phones away and no video or audio recording was allowed , this was to show respect to ABBA and the rest to keep it as secret as possible . I promise you , you are not going to believe what you see , there will be tears and laughs along the way and when you leave the Arena you will be singing all the way home and will have a night you will remember for a long time .Will I go back NO i Dont think so the journey was too much and getting to the Arena was not easy .I was also happy that I was surrounded by so many ABBA fans from around the world instead of listening to my favourite music alone I was on the dance floor AND more importantly the set list was a bit of a surprise to me happy all the way Enjoy the show !!!
How nice to hear this from you!To give away your testimony of what you felt,"tears and laughs" and to say you enjoyed feeling all other Abba fans from all over the world sharing this with you.This is a "wanted" from many fans,as i've read lots of comments ever since the gigs were anounced from people who felt the need to experience such a thing too."To meet each other".This is some real achievement that music can do.To reunite people and not to divide.I remember an old interview with Benny stating that since years ago,many fans from other countries who met each other while visiting him outside his studio,have started being friends and met again from year to year after the first time.That's so beautiful cause as an older fan i have really missed this feeling in my era.You know there was a time that music culture "demanded" us not to like Abba cause if we did then we would be "stained" and be considered "shallow","unserious","cheesy","uncool,"low leveled"" and whatever you can imagine.So we ended up listening their music behind closed doors, thinking(deceptively) that we were just ourselves,the only fans in this world.Since there was no internet at the time the speed of information was very slow.So little did we know that in fact, we were part of a huge mass of closet Abba fans that it's quantity could be counted only in millions!
I was so ill with passing a kidney stone, I almost did not go for the pain .. But I did was in dancing spot and my pain disappeared for the show and a few hrs after..its true but next morning in a hospital bed where I'm still am.. SO THATS SHOWS HOW STUNNING GORGEOUS fantastic it was.. Thank ABBA 0NE TRILLION OUT OF 10.. GOBSMACKED XXXX
LOVE THE ' WATERLOO ' INTRO, FROM 1974, WHERE ABBA WERE HIDING BEHIND PLANTS, TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE TV AUDIENCE, AS THE GROUP, COMPETETING FOR SWEDEN. ABBA JUST KEEPS GIVING, ON AND ON AND OND. THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC ABBA. YOU REALLY LET THE MUSIC SPEAK 🥰😍😍🥰
I won't be able to see the show for a long time like many fans who don't have the economic means to travel. I am therefore obliged to follow the event from afar by distance but closely by interest, with a broken heart, being an irreducible fan since 1975 but who was lucky to attend the show in Paris in 1979 and met every Abba members in the 80's, especially Frida when she recorded her solo album in Paris. So, I read many articles and feedback from fans who attended the show. But also really a lot of clips which were presented on youtube during the first days after the première before they disappeared. This prompted some reflections, if the artistic and technological bet is apparently absolutely won almost from all points of view, it is always the same weak points that come up about the show: 1 - The too short setlist which excludes some major songs which could however be visually or musically a real plus, 2 - The absence of sparkling life in the gaze of the abbatars, 3 - For a lot of people, animated transitional films are too distantly related to Abba: - Can the producers of the show improve these different aspects? Can the production still invest before several years given the already pharaonic budget (The "Times" values it at $175 million). Are certain technical constraints the cause of the difficulties? We are indeed talking about the machinery of the projectors for the abbatars on stage which overheats and needs to be interrupted with interludes, which explains the animated films, a break played only by the musicians and projections only on large screens at certain times, even if these moments are perfectly coherent and orchestrated so as not to affect the fluidity of the show. - I also wondered if they weren't caught up in time since the offical announcement of the album, first Benny said he only finished post-production on the album a few days before the final date and couldn't finish 2 songs that might have been on it.Then we saw that ILM was only able to offer very few images of animated abbatars in 4K high definition to make the first clip. No doubt that if "Don't shut me down" had get also a clip, the success of the single would have been greater.Finally the planned number of songs decreased and maybe some sequences could not be finalized as planned. - About the expression of the look of the Abbatars, I saw a test of a user mixing the face of Agnetha during the show with the technique of "deep fake" which brings this impressive feeling of life in the eyes, I wonder if they could manage to do it because it's one thing to do it on youtube and another on a giant screen size. And once again a lot of new investment and also maybe a question of the legal rights to obtain the possibility to do it. - About the setlist, if they can technically complete it, it would be very nice without breaking the rhythm of the set. "Take a chance on me", "Money,Money,Money", "Supertrouper" on stage are really missing but also 2 masterpieces "The day before you came" & "I let the music speak". And personally, I missed a song feauring a solo part by Björn ( like "Why did it have to be me"). Whatever will be the future, even if the show tours a little in some capitals in the next years, a huge number of people will never able to see it. So as Björn talked about possible new adventures of the Abbatars, I wonder if all this material created by ILM and this show could be used in another form, notably cinematographic with a screenplay or more simply in a documentary.
Hey BB I’m still finding it difficult to comprehend and process the full concert experience even thou I was there both nights 26th 27th 🤩 I felt so so emotional and elated full of joy and nostalgia all at the same time 😱😳🤩 On the 26th I really couldn’t fully appreciate this mystical and enchanting yet magical moments wee experienced plus when All ABBA members are sitting behind you it is hard to fully take in the whole magical concert experience especially 26 th 😉 it was astonishing and outstanding with moments of mystical touches I felt this from the first moment the show started … The Abbatars for me are mind blowing they look realistic real people giving you the experiences of your life ❤️ABBA are there on stage in 2022 yet not literally in person that was my over all feelings it’s a very hard to know what is reality when deep down u know it’s Abbatars not real people I’m sure you must have felt this perhaps 🤔😉😁😳🤩 When all came on stage ohh my gosh I burst out crying it’s only now I can fully appreciate and feel so lucky to have experienced this beautifully touching and magical moments 🥰 My only little constructive feeling is that the abbatars of Agnetha and Bjorn may need a slightest tweaking perhaps the facial expressions 😉 other than that I would recommend anyone who want to see a concert like no other and be wowed from the first moment then go as the wowness lasts with no exaggeration the full entire 90 mins ❤️
Hey Bobby's Brother.😊....yes I totally agree with you about their lifeless eyes...I managed to save The Winner Takes It All....and that's what I saw in Agnethas eyes....and then when they sang Mama Mia...I saw their faces liven up and for a minute I forgot they were ABBATARs...as the same with Fernando😊I'm so happy you got to be there to witness such a phenomenal concert....your so humble and loving Bobby's Brother.😊 and thankyou for this review😊until next time, much blessings to you😊xo
It's been published that Abba's Gold collection is top 10 again in UK Charts(9) and Voyage album raised to No 53 from 109 position.I also see some fans expressing their sadness that no Abba "Voyage" lps neither other Abba albums are available to be sold on the Abba Arena shop.All copies that are sold in such venues do count -as i've read-on official UK charts.If this is true,then i think whoever are responsible must reconsider imho.
Hej-hej, everybody! I know this expression gets thrown around a lot, but what I saw and heard last night was truly beyond words...!!!!! For me, the greatest gift of last night was actually forgetting for the entire 95 minutes that they weren't "real" - I absolutely felt it was Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Björn, live on stage in front of me!!! AN ETERNAL THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC TO YOU, ABBA, AND TO EVERYONE INVOLVED!!!!!!❤
Hey Bobby's Brother..I bet you had a grin like the prefer Cheshire cat 😸 🐈. From the reviews I have read it is a massive success 👍 you wouldn't expect anything less from the 2 guys who are perfectionist...the reception all 4 received as they walked on stage shows just how highly the group are appreciate..keep.up the great work 👍
Thanx for answering my question.I gotta confess i was at a point where i had started getting sad knowing that you wouldn't be there.I was miserable thinking you'ld be absent.Kinda praying"C'mn,someone must help him,there's got to be a way!HE must not miss this!"lol!No matter if i still wouldn't be there yet.Part of me was as if i was cause of you being at the premier.I felt very relieved that you finally attented!
Great video (again!). So for the observation of fan response at end when ABBA came on stage. 2022 had decorum, the fans although loud were not "sweaty obsessed" in comparison to Nov 6th 1982 at the BBC which I also attended, the fans really went feral, like wild animals. Yes there's 40 years difference but on May 26th, I was proud of us all. Looking forward to seeing more. Right now I am in "ABBA bewildered" mode: sad that now we got the show, itching for more but trying to keep it together.
@Lex That was in German tv show express lol!Nov.82!Agnetha nearly had a panic attack while Frida enjoyed it like crazy!That "Underattack" ending was one of my fave Abba moments!
ABBADiego,Possibly because we were far younger then.Now there were kinda more inner tears or smth and as grown ups we "had" to act a little more "civil" (lol)despite getting emotionally drowned and heartbombing on the inside.But lots of the fans reactions from outside the arena that i've watched in the net - from footage that got uploaded-, were rather hysteric.Personally i wouldn't have been able to scream out that much. Cause the flood of my emotions was that huge,after watching all this,that i felt my knees weren't that stable and each now and then i couldn't even breath properly.That was literally breathtaking.
@Lexlol!Frida's reaction was joyful and adorable.Don't know if that was originally screened at the time.But it was possibly leaked decades later on.Maybe some German fans and viewers are able to give us the answer if they read this...
@Lex I 'm sure that was it.The trilogy(The Day before/Cassandra and finally /Underattack with the "cold ending")I'm gonna check it out tommorow that i would have plenty of time and i'll let you know don't worry.
I'm French and I have just booked tickets, I've been waiting for such an incredible event since I was a child 🥰 Thank you very much for sharing your feelings and experiment ! 👍👍👍
Hello there! I just discovered your channel and watched this video. Great job, thank you very much! I flew to London last week especially for the ABBA Voyage show on Friday 5th January 24! I've wanted this so much since I knew it existed! ABBA is the music of my youth and I still love it! I was so excited when I got off the train and saw the arena through the train station window - unbelievable! I was there much too early and took a walk around the area, and I always saw this big ABBA arena and my heart almost burst with anticipation! :-) The show was sensational and exceeded my expectations! Awesome! I sat pretty high up in Block J. This place was great and I had a great view of the entire audience and the screens. It was so crazy to see these people (ABBA) as young people who look younger than myself, even though I know they are in their 70s. Then this totally familiar music...amazing! It's like science fiction! Only when there was applause did I notice: "Wait a minute, they're not hearing that, it's a running computer program!" :-) After all, I'm very happy that I made the trip to London - it was definitely worth it! I look forward to more exciting videos from you and send warm greetings from Switzerland! Ueli
Hey Bobby, thanks a million for sharing your experience with us! This concert was fantastic, a perfect mix of retro and futuristic - more than a concert, it's a real cinematic experience, like an event you'd find in an amusement park somehow. I just couldn't believe how they managed to pull it off so convincingly. It's difficult to give feedback as everyone's experience will be completely different, depending on which day you went, what time, alone or with friends, sitting or standing, on the left or on the right etc. Each of us will have seen things that the others didn't. And even if this is really ABBA, was created by ABBA and is definitely part of the official ABBA legacy, it also is a digital concert with avatars, made to the best of the current technology we have - something to keep in mind! But it's so immersive, moving and somewhat humble, there's no bragging going on there. It really felt like a concert they had fun making so that we'd have fun attending it. A must-see, must-hear and must-not-miss!
bravo Bobby's B ~ you so eloquently and thoughtfully describe your experience, that one feels witness to what sounds like an ABBAsolutely amazing spectacle. I have no hope of seeing this in person, so I sincerely appreciate you sharing this with us. Thank You.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. It sounds amazing! I have always had this futuristic space age impression of ABBA and with this new show it seems that they have taken it to another level. Maybe some day I will see it but for now Km listening to the old recordings and still discovering new meaning and musical nuances ❤️
Bobby May I ask do they include the missing verse in Dancing Queen,? Bobby also why do they say 1979, this is ABBA in 1977. Frida and Agnetha looked very different in 1979, can you confirm this please
Thank you so much. I was there on 26 and 27 May as well, both times on the Dance Floor. I feel the Dance Floor is quite a good place to experience the show from, because that's the closest you can get to the ABBATars. Wow, that moment when all four of them appeared on stage together at the end. I will never forget that. The audience went wild and almost blew the roof off. It only lasted a minute or two but I feel blessed to have witnessed that moment. Agnetha in particular seemed quite moved as well. The show is absolutely stunning and I recommend any ABBA fan to go and see it if it's in any way possible. You won't regret it.
Thank you for this, can't wait to see the next video. So excited for you and I know it will be a memory you will keep forever. Couple of questions, did you make any new ABBA friends? Were there any after parties and was London abuzz with ABBA? Did you meet any other RU-vidrs there? I am as interested in your experience as much as the ABBA experience!! ;)
I was on the very front,not exactly in the middle,more on the left .I was blown away, cried, laughed,screamed the whole show. I have never been so emotional, happy and moved before on a concert. I do feel a bit of regret as I couldn't see much when they played "Don't Shut Me Down" ,also couldn't see much of the animations when they played "Eagle". Already booked again for October! The show is indeed so complex,you need to see it several times . The live band is amazing, perfect professionals,but they are placed right where they are now. Oh, that moment " does your mother know" .... Fantastic!!!
I can gladly imagine what happened when "DSMD"/"ISHFIY" droped in.I guess people started singing word by word from the introS?Bs'b stated it was a big moment.I feel why people's response must have been so warm and maybe tearful.I"ve watched fans' reviews after the gig while being asked by reporters "did you feel emotional/cry" and some of them said they cried for about 4 times.Wonder which are these "4" ones?
Lay all your love on me .. that was my favourite part of the concert absolutely unreal .. the whole show needs to be seen in real life .. RU-vid clips do not do it justice
To me, this is like a fantasy movie made by Abba about Abba. If it looked too real, it would destroy the illusion of fantasy. And if it ever is released on Blue Ray or DVD I'll be one of the first to reserve my copy! 👍 Abba, and Industrial Light and Magic, who would have thought, eh? 😁
The dance floor is great fun and more social than the seating but it is fairly packed and can get very warm. As always in standing concerts the crowd moves and while you may have a great view at the start things can change and a taller person in front of you means your view of ABBA is down to two or three members if it's a standard size Abbatars song. You are close to the action which is fantastic but you do miss some of the stage effects and the lighting and full arena effects going on above and behind you.. People were sitting on the floor before the show started but by the end with drinks split and bottles/ cups left its a bit of a mess. Blocks c and h are central and possible best but the arena does not feel like a 3000 seater and no one is going to feel far from the action. I was a few rows up in block h and sound much louder than on the dance floor. Seats are comfortable with drink holder. Blocks a to e are three row blocks at the height just above the dancefloor standing people. Not much of a rake on them. The upper blocks are steep rake. While the seated audience do seem to sit for most of the concerts some people may stand and dance so front row blocks a to e would be the only ones you could be sure not to get someone dancing in front of you if you wanted to remain seated. Would recommend you do a double day and do dance floor matinee and seated evening! Did it 29th and it was magical! The further back in the seats you are the more you can take in the full arena stunning presentation and the full visual and audio effect. This is a show you will get a difference experience from depending where you do sit which gives more reason for me to book again.wherever you are you will have a great view and experience the creators of all aspects of this event from have excelled in bringing the enjoyment to everyone on the night.
The dance floor would be my worst nightmare. For one, I can't dance. And having my view blocked would be annoying. Bobby's front row seat looked perfect.
@@toby9999 for dance floor read standing most were too mesmerized by the visual to do much more. than bounce side to side. the main thing is you will be standing for the time and view maybe limited. It's also not the cheapest entry option and there are a fair few seats available priced equal or less to the dancefloor. The c block seats seem to now be premium priced .
Thanks for sharing your experience. Im so happy you get to experience Abba Voyage at the same time so jealous of you lol. Pls take us on another detailed journey of your 2nd watch of the concert and pls describe to us what are the amazing special fx of the abbatars and in what way do you think the production can tweak and improve overtime. Im sure each time the animation / motion capture will evolve as time passes by.
BB, I've watched several of your videos about ABBA, esp. the one which gave a tour of Voyage for those who cannot go to the concert in person, including me. I share the thought of one viewer's comment that it's amazing how dedicated you have been to editing these videos simply for sharing your wonderful experience, even if you may not be doing this for a living. The quality is excellent, and the editing must have taken you immense time and efforts. I've been an ABBA fan since my teen years, 40 years ago. As Nile Roger's teacher once said, good music speaks to the soul of a million strangers. ABBA DID and has been keeping on doing this. I believe that's why you love them. Thank you for all these videos!
Would love so much, have you as a friend on facebook, really loves your very great videos, when you talks about ABBA, them I'm in a kind of DreamWorks. I have been a hugh fan sine '74, have been so lucky meeting, them often in Stockholm 😀, of also here in Denmark, where I comes from. Lots of love, Steen (DK.).
It was amazing all 4 members of ABBA were there on the 1st night! it would of loved footage or even feedback on their reactions seeing the show themselves that night as i remember you saying they were sat behind you.
Man, I believe this will be the future of music shows, when members of a group are no longer able or willing to travel on tour, due to advanced age or other physical conditions. This is all absolutely fantastic for me! It sounds futuristic, and made me very happy to know that it was ABBA who successfully initiated this new process! To top it off, all that was missing was ABBA's arrival in an UBER-AIR e-vtol, in a vertiport attached to the Arena! I really wish with all of strenght of my heart that they don't give up making and recording new songs, because now they have the convenience of Abbatars, which can be supplied with new choreography. It can therefore be said, after the adjustments you have observed, that ABBA will be the first group in history to circumvent old age. Hehehe. Welcome to the future! I can"t wait to see more of your videos! Do you know what the group thought of the show and the abbatars?
I have finally seen the concert (Thursday 1st September 22) and I'd like to offer my honest and personal observations. I sat in the cheapest seats on the back row of block K which is on the far right of the auditorium. I'm quite a large person and I found the seats to be very narrow as did a few sitting next to me. The view was very good with an unobscured view of the stage however it wasn't possible to see the right hand big screen that shows close ups. I paid £24 for my ticket and I would say that because of the relatively intimate nature of the auditorium, it's not really worth paying 3 or 4 times more to stand or sit elsewhere. I don't think you would gain much extra from the concert to warrant the extra expense. The pre concert lighting in the auditorium and the forest image on the stage screens is very relaxing. The show opens with The Visitor's. It's a great track but I think it was the wrong choice as a show opener. I think Arrival should have been used followed immediately by I Still Have Faith In You. The music volume was loud but not as loud as I'd expected. Most of the time the main stage screens show the four members of ABBA standing in a line at a size that is in proportion to the members of the live band who stand off to the left. I'll be honest and say that I wasn't impressed with the main screen images of ABBA. They are in 2D and although they can move around and behind each other they don't have the ability to move forward and closer. I think 3D images or holograms would have been far more effective. To compensate for this 2D appearance on the main stage screens there are huge screens to the left and right which show close ups of ABBA and these are really needed to see the detail of their movements, costumes and faces. Unfortunately the close ups of their faces reveals some major flaws. While Benny and Frida's ABBAtars are very life-like and accurate, Bjorn, and particularly Agnetha, don't look very believable at all. Agnetha looks particularly robotic and a bit haggered. With regard to the actual sound of the music, the live band do a very good job in getting very close to replicating the studio sound however the vocals from ABBA themselves, often sound a little strange. This is despite us being told that they were taken from the original album recordings. I think the 20 song play list is pretty strong overall, unsurprisingly focusing on their best loved songs, and the concerts 90 minute duration seems to fly by. The lighting effects are spectacular if not a little epileptic fit inducing in places. At two points during the concert, namely during Eagle and Voulez Vous, the music is accompanied by two bizzare videos that left me and others wondering what on earth they had to do with ABBA. I think the concert could have done without these. The live band get a chance to be in the spotlight for one number, namely, Does Your Mother Know, and they venture across the stage and to its edge. This only highlights how one dimensional the images of ABBA on the main stage screens are. I'm looking forward to seeing the concert again to see if any of my above opinions change. Lastly I'd like to share some observations about the check in, arena facilities and merchandise. Upon entering, everyone is scanned by security guards. You are asked to turn out your pockets and bags. If they find a camera they insist you hand it in to the cloakroom. They found my camera. I raised the point that it was stupid to remove people's cameras when just about every smartphone in the building has a camera too. Security just replied by saying it's venue policy. The food, drink and merchandise on sale is very expensive even for London. The rather poor show program costs £15. A pint of beer is £7. T-shirts start at around £35. From what I could see of the so called departure lounge through its windows, it didn't appear to me to be worth the £99 entrance fee. Despite my observations possibly sounding rather negative, I did enjoy the concert and will be eternally grateful to ABBA for returning after 40 years. I will definitely be going again even though I think certain aspects of the experience could be better.
The first night you were at this Concert fans were recording the ABBA Concert experience on their mobile phones, I beleive ABBA are not Happy with some of their fans and are clamping down infrigment of copyright as the videos has been uploaded to RU-vid and TikTok. You sound like you enjoy yourself Bobby Brother and must experience this concerts myself.
BB so from what I feel from you and your analysis of this "concert" is it goes way beyond a concert ,we have moved on from a concert we have entered a new phase a new dimension in our lives ,a dimension where there is no time and space .A VOYAGE through an alternate reality that we can share as an audience and participate in an event that encompasses all the technology we can access right at this moment to bring an experience that normally, given the age of Agnetha Bjorn Benny and Annifrid would not be possible .I cannot help but think about classical concerts where Mozart,Beethoven, Strauss etc etc are played but those artists and composers long gone,are replaced with current musicians in auditoriums playing the centuries old music trying to faithfully capture those composers intended way the music should be played .ABBA have created a similar event that actually transcends that timeless experience by virtual reality ,and they are still with us and part of us so they could also experience the event .This is not a concert it is way beyond that it is,by your account an emersive shared experience with other ABBA fans that suspends belief and transports you back in time with future technology to bring the ABBA of the past into the present to update themselves to 2022 aspects and generate an emotional, spiritual, mystical event that does not have to end this concept can go on and on and on eternally. THANKYOU BB you help us who cannot go at this time have a real feel and vision for what you experienced.
Thank you so much Bobby's Brother! There is that smile again at 10 seconds, 😁 totally brilliant. What a nice way to present this video with a Q & A with your subscribers. It is wonderful to hear all about it. Because of my mental and physical health, I will never be able to experience this show, so I eagerly await your further revelations regarding the Voyage Concert Experience. ❤
Hi Bobby's Brother, really love your videos! Since November of last year, I've become a huge ABBA fan, listening to all their albums and bonus tracks etc, having a playlist of 80+ songs of theirs that I listen to repeatedly, and I'd booked to see the Voyage show 3 times. The first show was tonight, and I have to say, I left the arena feeling so disappointed. The technology of the ABBAtars on the actual stage was truly amazing, they looked genuinely like real people, but aside from that, I was was so disappointed that out of the 22 song setlist, there were only 11 songs for which the 4 members were actually fully on stage, unobstructed, for the whole song. Even for songs like Don't Shut Me Down and Thankyou for the Music, there was the gauze in front of the ABBAtars that obscured them for the sake of larger projections. 'Eagle' is my favourite song, and having the animation for this and the continuation for 'Voulez Vous' felt very disappointing as the sequences didn't add up to anything. I would've loved for that animated sequence to have opened the show, and the awakening of the giant, stone ABBA heads to be what led into 'The Visitors'. To miss out hits such as 'Money, Money, Money', 'Take a Chance on Me', 'The Name of the Game', 'I Have a Dream' and even 'Tiger', in favour of tracks such as 'When All is Said and Done' felt like a wasted opportunity to me. And to have SO many video interludes when there was no actual logistical reason (such as in a real show to facilitate a costume change) felt odd; I would have much rather have seen the ABBAtars perform these songs on the stage. I know I'm in the minority, but I felt like the ABBAtars spent more time off-stage than on-stage, and I found this a bit upsetting as the whole reason I wanted to see the show was to see an amazing spectacle with these digital performers, yet I felt like I mostly got digital music videos. I'd love to know if you've come across anyone else who had a similar opinion, as everyone else seems to find no fault in the show, and I wonder if there's something wrong with me for not enjoying it as much as everyone else did!
Hej Giften. First of all, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. This is your reflection, your opinion, you keep that with pride (even though you certainly wished for better feelings)! I can also understand your perspective, and there might be others who share it, too. I did not leave the arena with disappointment (at all), but perhaps slightly confused, not in a negative way. For me, all the variety was surprising, but I absolutely enjoyed it, even more on the 2nd night. When it comes to the setlist and chosen songs, I just accept what we get. I'd love to see any song they've done, and if those are the songs they choose, well, that's how it is, fine by me. It is hard when you have a legacy with so much quality material, and they can't satisfy everyone in the audience with the setlist. But again, these are your feelings, I can understand where you're coming from (you made all your points perfectly clear), and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I want to thank you for your lovely feedback, and I'm so happy to read that you've become such a huge fan since last November!!! (and a little bit jealous, too, that you get to discover all these gems for the 1st time) :-)
I went also. I have a different impression. At time ABBA looked like Japanese cartoon figures which I didn't care for. I very disappointed in how Agnetha came out. A still picture of her face is as close to her as they get but once she starts singing it does not look like her very much. Her Body seems slimmer and it just not do her justice. Frida on the other hand I feel is spot on along with Benny. Watching her sometimes made you forget it is not the real thing. Bjorn looked like Bjorn at times but other times he almost looked Chinese so I was disappointed in his avatar also. Maybe I am asking too much and maybe expected too much with all the hype.
Some interesting questions you were asked. With the times we are living in at present it will be difficult for some fans to travel to these great ABBA shows. These shows and the Queen's Platinum Jubilee have lifted people's spirits over here in the UK.
Brilliant discussion and the Q&A session was great too. You must have some great contacts to have got such great tickets. I'm beginning to think that the vid when you pretended Agnetha had phoned you really was a double bluff! What was your favourite song of the show?
I still don't know what happened to me the moment that the real ABBA appeared on stage on the 26th... I have just a very brief memory of a couple of seconds, I was too much to the left, even though in the center part of the scene, so my view was not perfect, but still, I don't know, it all happened so fast. I know I was there, but for some reason the memory is sort of suspended. I feel like I was there just for literally one second to catch a glimpse, and the rest feels like an erased memory card. I don't remember the public, the arena, just trying to look at them. I really shouldn't have taken my cellphone out to record. I should have seen them more with my own eyes. I never expected it to be so short. I sort of feel like I partially wasted my only chance to really see them. And I sincerely hope there will be one more opportunity, even though it seems very unlikely.
Thank you Bobbys Brother for your excellent work around ABBA, the wait to go and see this amazing event is killing me.. June 20th can't come quick enough..
ah nobody actually commented on the setlist too much. I am suprised Take A Chance On Me is missing.... though i don't mind being Hole In Your Sould in the set... wouldn't it be great if had done many more songs in 2020 to change the setlist evenutally from time to time maybe. It would be just another motivation to see the show again....
Thanks Bobby's Brother😉 I agree with you on your comments about the eyes.... When ISHFIY was first shown a friend of mine asked me what was my opinion on the Abba"tars" and the first thing I said was the eyes are dead no soul👀 but other than that Frida's Abba'tar was stunning, sounds like there are a couple of teething problems but I'm sure that Benny and Bjorn will get them sorted out Hope you had a great visit to London ❤️ Take Care and Stay Safe 💖🇬🇧😀
A week already since the official opening show, still seems like a dream to have been there. My only regret on the night was not to have been able to thank Helga and Brigitte of the fan club who enabled some of us to be there . Now I add the fact I missed the chance to take a selfie with bobby's brother! Just glad others phones captured the real ABBA very brief appearance at the end better than mine did.
Thanks for your wonderful review BB!! I’ve read from the ABBA Voyage web site that recording and pictures are allowed if you keep it for yourself… good, but do you know whether taking a video cámara (not only a smart phone) is allowed? Thanks!!
Agradezco realmente la última parte del video, donde prometes contar más cosas para los que realmente no vamos a poder estar ahí, ya sea por la distancia o por otros factores. Gracias por acordarte de nosotros. Abrazo 🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷
Interesting. Lucky you. Hope to make it later next year if the show is still on then. Also hope they are still able to make adjustments and I really do hope they built in some variation, so the fans are satisfied with the songs included and it keeps people coming back. I guess we'll see.
The question is whether the band members were only at the premiere on May 26, or if any of them were at the official inauguation on May 27? How many ABBA days in total were in London, and wherever beyond the ABBA Arena, band members were seen at other meetings where they gave interviews.
hi bobby. after seeing some snippets of songs from this show i was disappointed they were the original vocals. benny had said previously it would be like that but then later said over five weeks they performed twenty two songs. he didnt say they sang just that they performed which is also movements. but its nice to know there are some new vocals here or there. just wished they had sung all the songs as they are today because the new songs sound incredible and i would like to hear how they would sing the old songs today
Thanks a lot for all that first hand information. Neid aber keine Missgunst for your personal experience. I still have to wait until its my turn. Ps what a few days in the uk do to your accent in english… it changed a lot..
Hi Bobby’s Brother. Thanks 🙏 so much for all your information and enthusiasm for Voyage and ALL of your news etc about ABBA. Your genuine love and appreciation for ABBA is really fantastic and also so sensitive when you talk about them. You are a lovely, kind and sensitive person which comes across so beautifully with your calm,soft-like speaking. I haven’t given up on going to see them, no way, and ,as they say, if you want something bad enough you’ll find a way! AND I Will! No doubt about it! Also, please could you tell me etc how the concerts are going? Is there still 1000’s of people going each night with the excitement of the first few nights, or is it calmer now? Hope not). I would really appreciate it if you could tell me and update me. Thanks 🙏 Booby’B . Keep up with all your amazing videos and wonderful chats. Your station is by far the best, followed closely with Sleeve Saturday (I think that’s the name, I forget easily). ABBA, ABBA,ABBA,ABBA…….. if you have ABBA and their music in your life what more can we ask for!?!🤗😍🥰😃😊🙂🥲🙂😊🙂🙃❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💕💕💕💕
I should have asked you a question or two as well... since many hits weren't there - Super Trouper for instance, just made for a live performance - do you think the set list will be changing from time to time? Including stage versions of what was screened like LAYLOM? I am craving for those outfits ha. I may disagree a bit with you but I lacked some punch on both band and vocals - I thought they would use their live versions instead. But then I'll have to wait 'till August for that! Thanks you so much for all of this! Tack fran Rio!!
I watched the show just a few days ago and after all those great reviews I was just disappointed and I am such a big fan for so many years! I told everybody that I liked it but I feel I need to tell the truth. I was in the dance floor area. I thought the sound was weird and of course they didn’t look alike Especially Bjorn he really looked weird. And Agnetha’s facial expression was sad all the time. The most authentic look had Benny. My daughter told me she was so surprised that very young people next to her knew all ABBA’s songs! You are right they are abbatars. I was pretty sure I would go to see more shows but I won’t. ABBA will be always in my heart, I will remember them as they were in the 70s!
Will we get the full length The Visitors performance or is it just a short intro opening? Like frida’s first solo verse then the chorus amd then transition into hole in your soul?
I noticed your comment BB about the eyes of the Avatars and I noticed Frida's eyes when "I Still Have Faith in You" first aired, they looked very lifeless and that may be hard to get right. After all, "The Eyes are the Window to the Soul".
I was watching the longer impressions video in chunks. I saw about the first half and when i went to refresh today it was copyrighted claim. So sorry you have to deal with that. Are there plans for a revised version?
Indeed, Universal Music Group claimed for copyright infringement. This is legally not correct. I am working to clarify the situation, but there has been no respond so far from those responsible. The only solution I see right now is to upload the video as it was, but with absolutely blank screen and audio only, which takes away all the magic (and work done for it).
Bobby have you read Bright Lights Dark Shadows by Carl Magnus Palm ? I am reading it, wow, very in-depth. I will have a degree in ABBA when I have read it.
Thanks BB for your continued excellent coverage of ABBA. I just can't wait for it to come to the USA so today I filled out my passport renewal forms. Planning for the first of October to make the trip. As far as the set list I do wish their hits 'Take a Chance on Me' and 'Super Trouper' had been included.
Thanks a lot🙏🙏, BB for aswering my question about the best seats to fully enjoy the show. Some friends have already seen it from very different seats and they agree with you: no seat has any real disadvantage. I have already booked for two shows in October, one seated and the other one standing💃👯💃
Great! I’m just curious, which block have you selected for your seats? We intend to go in November (to enjoy London Christmas atmosphere, too)… but still to decide the blocks… perhaps E or A 😅👍🏼.
I'm wondering if there is gonna be some kind of a streaming VR experience for those of us who have no possibility of going to London in any foreseeable future. The show is already virtual, so it shouldn't be too difficult to transfer it into another medium, such as a VR headset. That could possibly be even more emersive.
@GraphiqueJack I love the rock opera of "Hole In Your Soul". ABBA Voyage could have an entirely different set list of songs, and it would still be great: 1. I'm A Marionette 2. Ring Ring 3. If It Wasn't For The Nights 4. That's Me 5. The Name Of The Game 6. Super Trouper 7. Gonna Sing You My Lovesong 8. Just A Notion 9. So Long 10. I've Been Waiting For You 11. As Good As New 12. Another Town, Another Train 13. Cassandra 14. Keep An Eye On Dan 15. Money, Money, Money 16. The Day Before You Came 17. Bang-A-Boomerang 18. Tiger 19. Take A Chance On Me 20. Move On
and People need love Dance (while the music still goes on) So long I do I do I do I do I do My love my life One man one woman The piper Slipping through my fingers Under attack Ode to Freedom
Dear Bobby's Brother, where are you originally from? I have a feeling that you might be originated from Czech Republic - Slovakia or even Baltic states but it is really hard to guess, you can be from anywhere :D
What worries me is that it's the same musicians who will play ALL the shows. 30 shows (I suppose) per month, from now until December. And if things go well, the band may very well have 4 years of shows to look forward to playing. And after that, who knows, perhaps they'll be asked to repeat the same show for more years in other cities? Touring is hard work for any band. But at least most bands aren't bound by perfection. This band has to play the same music PERFECTLY every night. And I would be very surprised if they don't get sick of playing these songs over and over again, and before you know it, the show (and the audience) will suffer. And as far as I know, there are no replacement members who can take over duties. The members of this band rehearsed this music together for years in order to be able to play this stuff flawlessly. But for how long can they keep it up? The ABBA-tars will never get tired or bored. But they aren't real people...
Yes i was thinking about that last night.I was wondering if they have programmed to be replaced for some shows and then go back again.I mean 2 weeks the one team and 2 weeks another,Who knows.I suppose the producers must have thought about it.These girls in the backing vocals are really good.Watched some little snippets from rehearsals in the net while rehearsing along with Benny.Wow,such Tight vocals and nice motions on stage.
Yes, I think the schedule is two shows per day on Saturdays and Sundays and one show on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. So Tuesdays and Wednesdays are rest days. But I'm pretty sure they will have back-up musicians and vocalists, not only to keep things fresh but to cover for illness and holidays, etc. It's also been said that there are a number of extra ABBA songs that can be used to help with some variation of the set-list.
Little Boots (Victoria Hesketh) was supposed to be on keyboards but gave birth just a few weeks beforehand, so Sarah Burrell is playing while LB is on maternity leave. There must be similar cover elsewhere in the band. 2 shows Sat + Sun, Wed/Thurs/Fri one show
In my opinion,The sound was just perfect. Not too loud, not too heavy bass. Compared to Lady Gaga's concert I attended in 2012 ,that was way more loud, way more stronger bass.
On the dance floor the sound was good and comfortable, on a return visit I was in the seating and the sound was noticeably louder and did have "concert ears" after for a bit, so depending where you are will have bearing.
I'd recommend earplugs! The first night everything sounded a pitch higher after a while. The second night I wore earplugs and that made the experience better :) (I was on the dancefloor)
@@alintje11 I have some musicians earplugs (EarPeace) with changeable inserts that allow you to adjust the noise reduction. I use them when dancing and they work very well.
